Milking-machine



N. D. RUTHERFORD.

MILKING MACHINE. APPLICATION flLEn'sEPLzvs; 1920.

1,391,980. Patentedsepn 27,1921.`

nillllllm E vuNlTlszD STATES m1131511* oFFIcE.

NEALON D. RUTI-IERFORD, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED NGINECOMPANY, .A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

Maxine-MACHINE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

Application led September 25, 1920. Serial V1\To.'412,748.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be Vit known that I, NnALoN D. Burrianronn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milking-Machines, of which the following is a specilication. t Y f The inventionrelates to mechanical milkers of the intermittent suction operated typeand the primary object of the invention is to provide improved valvechamberpmechanism for controlling the intermittent suction impulses tobe transmitted to teat cup apparatus on machines of the describedcharacter. j i Other objects of the inventionwill appear from thefollowing description directed to the preferred embodiment thereof, asshown in the drawings, the novel features being delined in the appendedclaims.

In the said drawings, Figure l is a view in vertical section of thepreferred form of my improved chamber. l Figs. 2 and 3 are elevation andtop. plan views respectively of the valve chamber, and Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2 being taken at right angles thereto.- Y Fig. 5 is viewsimilar toFig. 1 of a modi--` fied form of` the valve and chamber, andFigs. 6 to 8 inclusive are views similarto Figs. 2 to 4 inclusiveshowing modified forms of the valve and valvechamberof Fig.ll. v v.

Referring tothe preferred form of the invention yshown in Figs. 1 to 4inclusive, the wall of the chamber of cylindrical form with adome-shaped or hemispherical top is indicated generally by referencecharacter `1() and is provided adjacent the top' Vof vthecylindricalbody thereof withra peripheral flange Il perforated atsuitable intervals and threaded to receive screws 12y forsecuring thechamber to the top cover or lid13 of fa milk receptacle; Leading fromthe curvilinear or dome-shaped top portion are two nipples 14, 15,theformer having flexible pipel connection 16 leading to asuitable teatAcup. device commonly called a claw and the latteralso having a flexibleconnection 17 leading to a suction pump device of any suitable form ascommonly used in this typejof milking machine. The main body portion ofthe chamberl() is cylindrical in formvand is open at the bottom,beingprovided near the l. bottom extremity'. with a peripheral thickenedportion or bea-d 18 adapted to furnish a seat 19 for the bottom closurevalve member, indica-ted generally by the reference character 20. Thelatter is provided withy a peripheralseat portion 20a adapted tocooperate with the seat 19 of the valve chamber to form an air tightclosure whenever the air on the interior of the chamber is exhausted,and' there are upstanding spaced members 20b and 2Oc preferably formedintegral with valve 2O and having in their outer faces indentations orsockets 2Od adapted .to receive suitable means for anchoring or holdingthe valve 20 adjacent the lower j endvof the chamber and at the sametime allowing suliicient movement for the valve to open and closeinrelation toits seat 19on the chamber. This means consists of two pinsone of which, as indicated by reference character 21, is fixed by beinga drive lit in a perforation through'the thickened portion 18 at thebottom of the chamber and has a part thereof projecting to the interiorof the chamber for cooperating with one of the cavities 2Od 0f thevalve..l Diametrically oppositethe iig-Xed pinr21 I provide a removableor adjustable pin for engaging the cavity 201.k in thediametricallyopposite projection 2Ob ofthe valve. This pin is designatedby reference character22 and is screw threaded for a portion of itslength, as indicated, and provided at its outer-extremity preferably'with a knurled head 23. In order to provide a suitable bearing portionfor the threaded part thereof, I provide an enlarged opening inthethickened kwall 18 of the chamber, which is screw threaded and takes thecooperating threaded plug 24, hav-' inga suitable head, as indicated, sothat it may be locked( in its adjusted position against the chamberwallfand furnishes a 'suitable bearing against which the knurled head 23of pin 22inay be locked in its adjusted position, the central portion ofthe plug 24 being perforated and threadedto i portion 0f pin 22, as

suction closed valve'20 to the lower end of the chamber, for it will beapparent that there is sufficient play or looseness between theprojections 20b and 20c and the walls of y the chamber so that when thepin 23 is screwed outwardly so as to withdraw the end thereof projectinginto the chamber and the valve 2O will easily drop down at that side andmay be pulled off the pin 21 so as to be detached from the chamber forcleaning purposes, but when the pin 22 is in position and within thecavity 2Od of the valve it will also be apparent that the valve will beheldv in its working position capable of being seated to form an airtight closure at the bottom ofthe chamber when there is a vacuumproduced within the chamber, and when the vacuum is relieved on thereturn stroke of the pump it will be apparent that the valve will dropby gravity to the open positionas illustrated in Fig. 1.

The manner of operation of a suction valve in a milking machine of thedescribed character is well understood, it being notedthat when thesuction pump exhausts the air Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive the chamber ofsubstantially the form shown in Fig. 1 is indicated by referencecharacter 30 and it is provided with the nipples and iiexible tubes 14to 17 inclusive like the valve chamber of Fig. 1. The cylindricalchamber 30 is in this instance provided with a peripheral en-y largementnear the spherical top portion, as indicated by reference character 31,the same being slightly grooved to have the cover 32 of a milkreceptacle attached thereto by soldering, as indicated at 33. As in thecase of the chamber of Fig. 1 the bottom of the chamber 30 is providedwith a thickened portion 34, which is perforated at diametricallocations and provided with fixed pins 35 which protrude a shortdistance, as illustrated, on the interior of the chamber, the bottomportion of which is provided with the valve seat 3G. A valve 37 having acircular seat portion, as indicated at 37a, is provided, the form ofsame being illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive. This valve, like thevalve of Fig. 1, is preferably also formed of aluminum or some analogouslight material, and is provided with an upwardly extending portion 37b,which has diametrically opposed ledges 37C, each of which are providedwith an undersurface arranged at a slight angle to the normal plane ofthe valve 37. The angular under-surfaces are indicated generally byreference character 37d and each is provided with an indentation 37e ofsemicircular form in cross section being adapted to coperate with thepins 35 and forming a sort of bayonet joint so that when the ledges 37care arranged angularly in the general form of screw threads the valve 37may be inserted into its seating position in the lower end of thechamber and by a turn cause the thin portion of the ledge to pass overthe pins, and'said pins may be caused to engage the valve in theindentations 37e and the valve prevented from rotating further by thethickened portion of the ledge. This construction is efficient andobviously is much easier of insertion and at tachment to the lower endof the valve cham ber than is the valve of the form of'Fig. 1, whichrequires manipulation of the screw to secure the valve in its workingposition.

In order that the invention might be understood the details of thepreferred embodiment of the invention have been de scribed but it is notdesired to be limited to the exact details, since it will be apparentthat persons skilled in the art may resort to various modificationswithout departing from the purpose and spirit of the invention.

I'claim:

1. In a valve mechanism for milking machines, the combination of achamber provided with outlets leading to a vacuum producing device andto a teat cup, said chamber being provided with a downwardly openinglower extremity, a valve seat adjacent. said lower extremity, avalve forcoperating with said seat at the lowerextremity of the chamber andcomprising a substantially circumferential member having a peripheralseat face thereon adaptedy to cooperate with the valveseat on thechamber, a vertically extending member above said valve face, saidvertically extending member on said valve being undercut, and meanssecuredA to the wall of the chamber on the interior thereof adapted toextend into the undercut portion of the extension on the valve to securethe latter in its normal working position.

2. In a valve mechanism for milking machines, the combination of achamber provided with outlets leading to a vacuum producing device andto a teat cup respectively, said chamber being provided with adownwardly opening lower extremity, a valve seat adjacent said lowerextremity, a valve for cooperating with said seat at the lower extremityof the chamber and comprising a substantially circumferential memberhaving a peripheral seat face thereon, a vertically extending member onthe valve face formed integrally therewith, said vertically extendingmember having diametrically opposed branches undercut in aY directionangularly to the plane of the valve seat, there being indent-ationsl inthe undercut surfacesV on the seat, and being adapted to prevent thevalve while working from becoming detached from the valve chamber. y

3. In a valve mechanism for milking machines, the combination of achamber pro-V vided with outlets leading to a vacuum producing deviceand to a teat cup respectively, said chamber being provided with adownwardly opening lower extremity, a valve seat adjacent said lowerextremity and formed integrally therewith, a valve for coperating withsaid seat comprising a substantially circumferential member having aperipheral seat face thereon adapted to coperate with the valve seat atdiametrically opposite portions thereof adapted to extend on theinterior of the chamber when the valve is in working position, and meanssecured to the wall of the chamber on the interior thereof adapted tocoperate with said vertical extensions to secure the valve in its normalworking position.

4. In a valve mechanism for milking machines, the combination of achamber provided with outlets leading to a vacuum producing device andt0 a teat cup respectively, said chamber being provided with adownwardly opening lower extremity, a valve seat adjacent said lowerextremity and formed integrally therewith, a valve for co* operatingwith said seat comprising a'substantially circumferential member havinga peripheral seat face thereon adaptedl to cooperate with the valve seaton the chamber, vertical extensions on the valve at diametricallyopposite portions thereof adapted to extend on the interior of thechamber when the valve is in working position, and means secured to thewall of the chamber on the interior thereof adapted to coperate withsaid vertical extensions to secure the valve in its normal workingposition comprising a pin fixed in the wall of the chamber and a secondpin screw threaded and being adjustably secured in the chamber wall.

5. In a valve mechanism for milking machines, the combination of a valvechamber, a valve seat surrounding an opening in the chamber wall, avalve coperating with said seat, said valve being provided with verticalextensions on diametrically opposite sides of the valve and saidvertical kextensions being provided with laterally extending sockets, apin fixed in the wall of the chamber and extending to the interiorthereof for coperating withone of the sockets on the vertical extensionon the valve and a second pin adjustably secured in the wall of thechamber and extending to the interior and being adapted to coperate withthe socket of an extension on the valve to retain the valve in itsnormal working position.

6. In a valve mechanism for milking machines, the combination with achamber provided with a valve seat, a valve adapted to1 coperate withsaid seat, said valve being provided with diametrically located verticalextensions each of which have laterally opening sockets therein, a fixedpin on the interior wall of the chamber for coperating with one of thesockets of the valve, a member screw threaded in the chamber wall and ascrew threaded pin adapted to cooperate with said screw threaded memberfor engaging the socket in the other vertical extension of the valve t0retain the valve in its normal working position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 9th day of September D.1920. Y

N. D. RUTHERFORD.

Witnesses: Y

T. R. TAFFEE, OLIVIA WALKER.

